Tuesday Read: September 29 - Michael and All Angels
Today the church celebrates the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, also called Michaelmas. This ancient festival honors the archangel Michael and all angelic beings who serve God. In a secular age skeptical of supernatural realities, this feast reminds Christians that creation includes more than what we see.
Angels appear throughout Scripture - not as myths or metaphors but as real spiritual beings who serve God and minister to humans. "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14). They're servants, not objects of worship. They minister to believers, not compete with God for devotion.
Michael appears in Daniel, Jude, and Revelation - always as warrior defending God's people. Daniel records: "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise" (Daniel 12:1). Jude mentions Michael "contending with the devil... about the body of Moses" (Jude 9). Revelation depicts "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon" (Revelation 12:7).
Michael's name means "Who is like God?" - a rhetorical question answered "No one." It's declaration of God's uniqueness against any who claim divine status. When Lucifer rebelled saying "I will make myself like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14), Michael's very name was battle cry: "Who is like God? Not you!"
Christian tradition identifies Michael as commander of heavenly armies, protector of God's people, warrior against demonic forces. In Jewish tradition, he's Israel's guardian angel. In Christian art, he's typically depicted with sword and scales - judging souls and defeating Satan.
But Michael is one of countless angels. Scripture mentions "thousands upon thousands" of angels (Daniel 7:10), "innumerable angels in joyful assembly" (Hebrews 12:22), and angels so numerous that a legion of demons required a herd of two thousand pigs to accommodate them when expelled (Mark 5:9-13).
Angels serve multiple functions. They worship God continuously (Revelation 4:8), deliver messages (Luke 1:26-38), execute judgment (2 Kings 19:35), protect believers (Psalm 91:11), and war against demonic forces (Ephesians 6:12). They're active, not decorative. Engaged, not distant.
Jesus taught that angels are aware of human activity: "I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10). They celebrate conversions. They observe human choices. They're invested in redemption's story, though they don't personally experience salvation (1 Peter 1:12).
Angels also guard specific people. Jesus said of children: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:10). Guardian angels aren't just Catholic doctrine - they're biblical reality.
But Scripture warns against angel worship. Paul cautioned: "Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you" (Colossians 2:18). When John tried worshiping an angel, he was rebuked: "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets" (Revelation 22:9). Angels serve God, not replace him.
Why does this matter today? Because spiritual warfare is real. "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). The battles you face have spiritual dimensions you can't see.
Angels fight on your behalf in realms beyond perception. When you pray, angelic forces mobilize. When you resist temptation, they reinforce you. When you proclaim truth, they war against lies. You're not alone in this fight. Michael and his angels are engaged.
This should produce both comfort and sobriety. Comfort because you're not fighting alone - angelic armies support you. Sobriety because the fight is serious enough to require heavenly intervention. If angels are necessary, the opposition must be formidable.
As September 29th celebrates Michael and all angels, remember: you're surrounded by spiritual realities both benevolent and malevolent. Angels guard you. Demons oppose you. The fight is real. But God's forces vastly outnumber the enemy's. When Elisha's servant feared enemy armies, Elisha prayed: "Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see." The Lord opened the servant's eyes "and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2 Kings 6:17).
More are with you than against you. Angels you can't see guard you in ways you don't perceive. Trust their protection. Don't worship them. But acknowledge their reality and thank God for assigning them to you.
